29. The help you need to start your own business - a conversation with WeBC CEO Shauna Harper

Have you ever had a great idea but didn't know how to turn it into a business?  Today's conversation will help you find the right people, develop the know how, and access the funds that you need to turn that idea into a reality. Shauna Harper is the CEO of WeBC.  WeBC provides thousands of women entrepreneurs across BC with business loans, expertise, training, resources, and peer support to help their businesses grow and thrive each year.

Shauna is an impact-driven leader, community champion, speaker, mentor, and connector in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. She is a nationally-recognized advocate for women entrepreneurs, gender equity, and a champion for increased access to services, training, support, and funding. Her strengths include marketing and communications strategy, participatory and collaborative facilitation, business development, community engagement, team building, as well as the development of strategic partnerships and programs.

Prior to coming to WeBC, Shauna was an entrepreneur for 22 years. She owned a manufacturing company that created and sold inspirational glass stone magnets globally, and a marketing and communications company that helped small businesses and not-for-profit organizations by offering marketing strategies, project management, team support, and marketing training.

In 2015, Shauna was the co-facilitator of the regional Catalyst for Growth dialogues that actively explored how to support economic growth through women and create a greater impact by growing the number of women in senior leadership roles, trades, emerging sectors, and as entrepreneurs. She was also a facilitator for portions of the BC Economic Forum (2015) and the We for She Conference (2016).

Shauna has been recognized for her leadership and impact. She was named a Woman of Influence by BC Business Magazine; and Business Person of the Year and Top 40 Under 40 by the Prince George Chamber of Commerce. She was on the BC Premier’s Women’s Economic Council as an advisor from 2014-2017, and an advisor on the Government of Canada’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Strategy in 2019.

Shauna’s vision for WeBC is to continue to build on the incredible success and momentum of the team, while exploring the possibilities in the next phase of collaboration, sustainability, and impact. WeBC https://we-bc.ca/ Join a Free Starting a Business Info Session: https://we-bc.ca/sbis/#content Women's Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC): https://weoc.ca/